1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the repair of dents or minor body damage in the sheet metal of vehicles, and more particularly to tools which can be effectively used in the field of paint-less dent repair, a specialized technique of metalworking that repairs dents without re-painting the damaged area.
2. The Prior Art
In vehicles, such as automobiles, the sheet metal becomes damaged for a number of reasons, including collisions with other vehicles or objects. Minor collisions will often result in denting of the sheet metal panels, where the integrity of the paint finish is not compromised, even though the sheet metal panel is permanently displaced from its original shape. Owners often want to repair such damage to maintain the resale value and original appearance of their vehicles. Preferably, owners desire to have repairs done without re-painting or breaching the integrity of the original finish, in order to maintain a higher resale value. This is especially important in the high end luxury vehicle market.
Heretofore, the practice of repairing dented sheet metal body panels has generally involved sanding or abrading the damaged area to remove the original paint finish, filling the depressions in the damaged surface to restore the original shape, and then re-painting the damaged area. In order to minimize the filler material used, a hole may be drilled in the sheet metal and various pulling tools (for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,701) used to restore the surface approximately to its original shape. This technique, however, requires that the hole be repaired as well. Filler materials used to repair the aforementioned holes and restore surface geometry have questionable long term durability, and may create corrosion problems subsequent to the repair. It is generally acknowledged that such repairs will never have the long term durability of the original OEM (original equipment manufacturer) paint finish. This is exemplified in the reduced resale values of vehicles that have undergone typical repaint damage repair.
Thus, it is desirable to repair minor body damage without altering the original paint finish, using methods of paint-less dent repair. The prior art has described suction type devices that may be applied to the outside surface of the dent, allowing the dent to be pulled back into a desired shape. However, these devices often require the use of a bonding compound to increase the available pulling force, which may damage the paint finish. These devices rely on forceful contact with the outside painted surface for leverage, also increasing the potential to damage the painted surfaces. A more desirable method usually requires access to the inside surface of the dented panel, so that force can be selectively applied to restore the original shape. The complexity of modern vehicles has reduced accessibility to inside body panel surfaces, due to the inclusion of power locks, power windows, side air bags, impact-absorbing structures and other equipment. This complexity has previously required a large selection of tools of varying shapes and sizes, which can be expensive. Furthermore, the wide variety of dent shapes, body panel contours, panel thickness, and panel material requires a broad variety of tool tip shapes, tool tip compliance, and leverage force. Use of the tool tips must not create additional dents or damage, as this damage cannot be removed from inside the panel. Often, the restoring forces need be applied in multiple locations with different tool tips and varying force levels. Since no filler materials can be used in the repair to compensate for even minor contour irregularities, the original shape must be restored with a high degree of precision for the repair to be non-detectable. This requires a tool with a high degree of flexibility. Selecting from a large number of different tools of fixed configuration is not a desirable option when cost effective repairs need be accomplished.
For example, FIG. 1 shows a variety of tools 10–32 commercially available in the prior art. These tools have limited applicability for paint-less dent repair due to the sharp tips, hardened material of construction (spring steel), and limited leverage available in tight, narrow spaces. It is often important to apply the right amount of force, at the proper angle to the dented sheet metal, since the restoring process is trying to reverse the process that caused the dent in the first place. The tool must remain in place over the dent as reversing force is applied, and not slip off. Tools of the prior art have difficulty staying in place over the dent due to their sharp tips.
Therefore, there is a need for a paint-less dent repair tool that does not damage the exterior paint finish, can be used to repair a wide variety of dents, in a wide variety of locations, in a wide variety of vehicles with differing option packages, configuration and equipment. The paint-less dent repair tool must be easily re-configurable and adjustable to conform to a variety of difficult-to-reach areas. The paint-less dent repair tool must be adjustable to apply the appropriate force to wide variety of dent shapes, panel thickness and panel materials. Additionally, the paint-less dent repair tool must be adapted for use with a wide variety of interchangeable tips of varying shapes, sizes, and materials of construction.